Neither cold nor rain nor big puddles will keep candidates from busy street corners with their signs during the coming week. It's visibility time.

Early this morning in Richmond, three Democratic state Senate candidates were trying to connect with commuters at the town's main intersection. Ginny Lyons brought her lion friend to help her catch drivers' attention. Hinda Miller clutched a standard campaign sign. Doug Racine propped up a big sign of the season -- an orange and black number that declared "Happy Halloween. Vote for Doug Racine."

In Burlington, the Main Street commuting artery was lined with candidate surrogates waving for Scudder Parker, Democratic candidate for governor, and Peter Welch, Democratic candidate for U.S. House.

John St. Francis, Republican candidate for Chittenden state's attorney, staked out a spot up the road a few hundred yards -- still plenty of traffic passing his way.

Candidates say this annual rite is part of their effort to connect with voters -- even it is through a wind shield. What makes their day is a honk or a wave in response. Look for a candidate near you.

-- Nancy Remsen